Community Perspectives: Alfreda Norman

Transcript:

Today it is my honor to be speaking with Alfreda Norman with the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.

[MUSIC]

Ms. Norman, thank you for taking the time to speak with me and for sharing your perspective of Dallas County with us.

What are the greatest challenges you see facing Dallas County today?

Afreda Norman: Well I think the biggest challenges that we have is just the enormity of the assets and opportunities in this city for everybody.

And just the sheer complexity of having pathways and avenues and access to all those opportunities in essence.

I mean, that is a big problem in the sense that thinking about everybody, not just one or two or some or a few, but getting everybody those great opportunities, I think that's one of our biggest challenges.

TC: What do you see as Dallas County's greatest strengths?

AN: I think our greatest strengths is kind of one of the reasons why I moved to Dallas, is this notion of the can do spirit, we can get things done.

And the notion now that I am feeling more and more of this collective think, this group thinking that the individual in and of itself coming up with ideas for solutions and decision makings isn't enough any more.

It really takes the collective group think of us all, and then when you add diversity to the group think, which is new ideas and new perspectives, it just makes us more innovative and creative.

So I think that's going to be our biggest strength is coming together, figuring out the things that we need to do better at and continue doing, and investing in the things that we know that we need to do.

Which is investing in the people of this great city.

TC: What opportunities do you see on the horizon?

AN: I think the opportunities are continued investment in people.

I think, human capital.

I think people make a city great.

And so the opportunities are, how can we really make the best investments that we can in education, and in health, and affordable homes, and neighborhoods, so that people are successful on a daily basis?

And that they can have good jobs, and continue to raise their families, and partake in their community, and in voting, and joining the PTA.

So I think the greatest opportunities we have, because we're attracting a lot of people here, so we must be doing something right, is to continue to be so mindful about how we want to make this the best place, and how we can invest to make our people great.

TC: If you could build Dallas Country from day one, what would it look like?

AN: Wow, from day one.

So I'm thinking about, you know, being on the prairie.

Back in the days when people were thinking, why is there a city here in the first place?

I think I would continue in the same vein that the city's continued to have a big welcome mat, for one thing.

To really let people know that they're welcome here.

Come one, come all, great ideas, hard working people.

Let's work together on really envisioning what we want the city to be and how great we want to be.

So I think I would continue in that vein of not being afraid to think and dream big.

And get all the folks around the table that you need to do those things.

And I think Dallas is really making a mark in Texas and in the country on thinking big, and doing big things.

TC: Do you have any other thoughts you'd like to share with us?

AN: Oh.

[LAUGH] That was not in my script.

Any thoughts?

I look forward to thinking about who needs to be around the big collective table when we're coming up with thinking about the next years.

And who do we need, who's not there to really be in this realm, or this arena of ideas, as we're envisioning features that this can be a better place for our kids.